Sonoma Creek

Sonoma Valley 2009

Sonoma Creek is the primary waterway in Sonoma Valley

Sonoma Valley is also known as the Valley of the Moon, a name attributed to the Coast Miwok name “valley of the moon” or “many moons.”

The valley has a colorful history of Spanish, Mexican, and American settlement. In 1823, Spanish Franciscan monks built the Mission San Francisco Solano in Sonoma Valley, the last mission constructed in the state.

This mission also had a specific military purpose: to limit settlement by Russians from the Fort Ross area. The mission rounded up local Coast Miwok and Pomo for laborers and many native people died from exposure to European diseases.

In 1834, the Mexican government secularized the missions in California, and General Mariano Vallejo took over the Sonoma Mission.

He built a large plaza and a grid of streets and turned the mission into a fortress. Vallejo amassed land holdings in excess of 7 million acres and became the military governor of Mexican California. In the 1840s, however, numerous Americans started moving into California, creating friction with the Mexican government.

American John Fremont worked for the Army Topographical Service, headquartered at Sutter’s Fort on the American River along with Kit Carson and 50 other men. In an unprovoked attack, Fremont and his comrades arrested Vallejo and declared California an independent republic in June 1846. They raised a Bear Flag over Sonoma Plaza, giving the event its name as the Bear Flag Revolt. The Bear Flag had a grizzly bear on it, and served as an inspiration for today’s

In the 1850s, Agoston Haraszthy arrived from Hungary and started the first winery in California: Buena Vista Winery in 1857.

Buena Vista Winery was established in 1876 by Agoston Haraszthy

By 1876 many wineries were flourishing, and over 2.3 million gallons of wine was produced; however, by 1890 phylloxera, a sap-sucking insect that feeds on the roots of grapevines, had decimated many vineyards.

During the 1890s, a number of hot springs resorts were developed and a tourist industry grew. 

Captain Boyes’ Hot Springs Resort

Well-known novelist Jack London bought a farm in Sonoma Valley and wrote a novel, Valley of the Moon, about the area.

Prohibition closed most of the valley’s wineries. Only Sebastiani continued operation making sacramental wines. During the 1970s a number of new wineries opened, often located in the restored old buildings of previous wineries.

J. Pedroncelli Vineyard in 1934